Home changes

Xia Tao

As I walked towards the mansion, I couldn't help but notice the astonishing number of different animals around the area. When I first returned, I was too preoccupied to pay attention, but now that things had settled, I began to take notice. Birds of various kinds perched on tree branches—some resembling sparrows, others more like crows. Cats roamed the streets, which was a first for me in this world. I even saw a lynx lounging on a tree branch. I noticed it by chance while looking around, and only when we met eyes did I realize it was there. I flinched, but it lazily glanced at me before continuing to bask in the sun. This was curious and something I'd need to ask Mei about. I also needed to inquire about the lily seeds we had retrieved from the cave, as they had been neglected.

Since I was exploring the environment and noting how it had changed during my absence, I decided to visit the bees. I had always been fond of them. Heading towards the strawberry patch, I found the strawberries in bloom, with bees buzzing about. Something felt off, though. It was a nagging feeling, like a word on the tip of your tongue that you can't quite recall.

I didn't even bother going to the hive, as I didn't see the point. As I wandered, trying to pinpoint what was wrong, I noticed a bee on my shoulder. Startled, I almost jumped. I hadn't heard it land, despite my usually keen hearing. And then it hit me—half of the bees were flying completely silently. I could only hear the worker bees collecting pollen from the strawberry flowers, and even they were much quieter than before. Unbelievable, all of this had happened in just a month. I realized that leaving the mountain meant falling behind in many ways.

I approached the guardian bees, which flew silently back and forth. I tried to listen but was met with silence. I beckoned one bee, and it flew over and hovered beside me. Wow, they had gotten even smarter. I listened closely and heard absolutely nothing—just pure silence. Incredible. I even held my hand close to it and couldn't feel any air movement. This was astounding. If we could understand how they did this, maybe we could move just as silently.

I waved my hand to signal the bee to go about its business, watching as it flew off. So much had changed while I was away. It was time to find Mei. She would surely know what was going on.

Finding Mei in her office at the mansion, I saw her sitting with her eyes closed, deep in thought. Not wanting to disturb her, I quietly pulled a chair from my ring and sat down. After about ten minutes, Mei opened her eyes.

"Master, is there something you wanted?" she asked, looking at me inquisitively.

"I have a lot of questions" I replied. "I was visiting the bees and noticed something strange. Some of them are completely silent, and there's no air disturbance from their wings. How is that possible?" I asked with curiosity.

"Yes, the wildlife here is developing rapidly, as is some of the flora" Mei responded.

"What do you mean?"

"Bees and spiders have been eating the strawberries, which has accelerated their development significantly. Interestingly, they are evolving more intellectually, albeit in a limited way. The spiders are becoming faster, stronger, and more stealthy. Their webs have also changed, with different spiders adapting differently based on their roles in the ecosystem.

"The bees, on the other hand, have become faster, slightly smaller, and much smarter. They now understand simple commands like 'follow me,' 'hide,' 'attack,' and so on. You might not have noticed, but they are stationed all over the mountain, observing us. They then somehow exchange information and continue to evolve."

"Aren't we worried they might become too intelligent?" I asked.

"No, Master. To them, we are as much a part of their hive as they are. There are well-documented cases of symbiotic relationships between humans and animals. There have been no precedents where animals evolving alongside humans have taken over or harmed their human counterparts" Mei reassured me.

"Great, then let them develop as much as they can. It will only benefit us" I said.

"By the way, we collect honey by simply asking for it. Half of the honey they produce is collected by us, along with some propolis. We haven't studied their properties yet; I just collect them every two weeks. Interestingly, the bees have also established communication with other animals. We leave some strawberries for them, and they don't consume all of them but trade with other animals. For example, birds sometimes bring them animals from the desert. When I saw a group of ravens carrying a giant scorpion carcass to exchange for strawberries, I was stunned."

"Curious, about all these animals roaming around. They aren't aggressive, are they? I think I saw a lynx and some cats, and I'm not sure they're domestic."

"The cats you saw are manuls. They aren't very domestic, but they're not aggressive either. As for the lynx and other wildlife, no, there's peace here. Occasionally, some very aggressive animals show up, but they disappear quickly. It turns out the bees have a taste for meat and are friends with the spiders, so any troublemakers are dealt with swiftly and quietly. Don't worry about it" Mei reassured me.

I sat in astonishment, realizing how much I had missed while I was training on the southern mountain. On one hand, I felt like I had fallen behind, even compared to our own disciples. On the other hand, we had brought back two elemental treasures, were likely to receive some rewards from the Goose Clan, and found a valuable albeit not very expensive ore. Even if I had lost ground personally, our mountain and clan had gained a significant boost. The stronger our mountain and clan, the better for everyone, including myself. I could always catch up, and even if I couldn't, they were part of my clan and thus my strength.

"Mei, I noticed something unusual earlier. I was watching our clan disciples doing something strange in a small strawberry patch" I mentioned.

"Ah, their training. It's a very beneficial endeavor. Want to see a trick?" Mei asked, cutting off my train of thought.

"Sure" I said, waiting expectantly.

A few seconds passed, but nothing happened. Mei sat there, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Just as I was about to ask what was going on, I realized my jaw was locked. I tried to move and found I couldn't. Only my eyes grew wide with surprise. After a second or two, I regained my ability to move.

"What was that?"

"Oh, that's something the disciples came up with. Quite clever, actually. I wouldn't have thought of it," Mei said, raising her hand palm up. Gradually, threads began to emerge from her hand, glowing faintly. About 20 threads extended from her palm and fingers. I looked at her in amazement, images of chakra threads from Naruto and Donquixote Doflamingo from One Piece flashing in my mind.

"They tried to harvest strawberries from the student plots but lacked the strength. The spiders quickly bound them, and the bees stung them painfully, providing excellent motivation for improvement. They decided to observe the spiders and then emulate some of their techniques, like this web. The technique is still incomplete, and they are studying it further. I help them improve it as much as I can, offering different ideas and variations. What you saw earlier was likely them trying to harvest strawberries using this web. I can control up to 20 threads within a 15-meter radius, and it's a formidable weapon. How to increase the range beyond improving cultivation is still unclear, but I haven't given up hope of figuring it out."

"Wow"